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It Just Takes Fifteen Minutes To Be A Hero And Save Three Lives …What’s Stopping Us From Being One?

InnoHEALTH magazine digital team — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 10:01:55 +0000

The human brain has left no stone unturned to unravel mysteries of medical science and find cure to even the knottiest diseases. However, there is one thing yet to be conquered: To generate blood – A wonder drug that cannot be manufactured by even the best of pharma companies. This medicine can only be transferred from the abundant to the needy. A statistical survey done in 2000 has revealed that around 11 million blood donations are collected in India every year against the required 13.5 million leaving a gap of nearly 2 million. With the pandemic having set in, the demand supply gap has been increasing more than ever which needs to be bridged. One way to achieve the same is to motivate and create awareness among eligible young donors which is the intent of this write up. There is a one liner well heard of ‘A pint of blood can save three lives’. Ever wondered how? Time to unfurl the answer..

Blood collected is actually ‘whole blood’. The wholesome blood includes white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, coagulation factors and liquid part (plasma) combined altogether. This is stored by adding special preservatives in blood banks to extend its shelf life and is delivered to patients as and when needed.

What and how much are you actually donating when giving blood?

A healthy donor has around 5 to 6 liters of blood in his/ her body. A single episode of blood donation simply means taking out 300 to 350 ml, which gets replenished within the next three months. In other words, if our body has 10 pints a single episode of blood donation is just giving 1 pint. Blood collected is actually ‘whole blood’. The wholesome blood includes white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, coagulation factors and liquid part (plasma) combined altogether. This is stored by adding special preservatives in blood banks to extend its shelf life and is delivered to patients as and when needed. Shelf life of blood components varies depending on the type: five days for platelets, thirty-five to forty days for the red cells and up to one year for plasma.

How does a single unit of blood save multiple lives?

Unlike decades ago, the advent of automation and technology has now made it possible to separate whole blood into components and preserve each one separately. Post donation, within a maximum span of six hours the whole blood is centrifuged in a special equipment at blood banks under temperature controlled sterile settings and separated into plasma, platelets, and packed red blood cells. When needed White blood cells and cryoprecipitate can also be selectively extracted as per patients demands. Each component is stored in separate bags under optimal conditions. Packed red blood cells are high in oxygen content and are used to increase hemoglobin levels and in cases of hemorrhage to make up for blood loss.

The plasma replenishes the fluids lost in cases like burns and is also a source of coagulation factors which help in the normal clotting process. Platelets are particles which play an important role in hemostasis, prevent bleeding from vessels and are used in thrombocytopenic patients like those with viral illness like dengue. The white blood cells are extracted when specifically asked for by a process called apheresis. Heart & brain surgeries, bone marrow and organ transplants, burn victims, patients undergoing other major surgeries, women facing unexpected complications during delivery, inherited blood disorder for patients with sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia patients are the most in need of blood transfusion.

As per WHO 38% of reported voluntary blood donors are under the age of 35, hence insists countries focus on creating awareness to donate among this age group. Knowledge plays a key role in blood donation as half knowledge or misconceptions can defer one from donating blood and also spread wrong information among peers.

Facts, Inhibition and Attitude towards blood donation

As per WHO 38% of reported voluntary blood donors are under the age of 35, hence insists countries focus on creating awareness to donate among this age group. Knowledge plays a key role in blood donation as half knowledge or misconceptions can defer one from donating blood and also spread wrong information among peers. A study by Bharadwaj and group (2019) has shown that there is a positive attitude towards the voluntary blood donation among youths in our country from both medical and non-medical educational backgrounds. In spite of having an optimistic attitude only a few donate due to lack of knowledge and awareness about the modes to donate blood.

How much time will it take to donate blood?

A common misconception is regarding the duration taken for one to donate blood. An entire episode of blood donation is over within an hour! Many blood banks across the country have slots and timings that help reduce waiting time by booking an appointment. A few centers collect blood by direct walk in. Below is a quick overview of a blood donation process.

The blood banks first provide a questionnaire for the donor to be filled regarding his or her basic personal details and medical history. A brief overview and pre-transfusion counselling is given to the donor by the staff. After basic tests like checking hemoglobin, blood pressure and temperature screening, if the donor is fit to donate it just takes 10 to 15 minutes to collect the blood. Post-donation the donor is asked to rest for ten minutes, during which some light refreshment or fresh fruit is given to replenish the energy. A certificate is given as a token of appreciation and for documentation purposes to the donors. The donor is advised to keep the bandage on the arm for six hours, drink plenty of fluids, defer from lifting heavy weights, smoking and alcohol intake for the next 24 hours. A gap of three months for males and four months for females is ideal between blood donations.

Where do I find an opportunity to donate blood?

Many studies have shown that the youth of our country, though willing, are unbriefed about the means to donate the blood. Given below are a few simple opportunity that motivate the donors.

Quick Facts And Clarifications

So now that we get to know the modes to donate, let us get our facts right about blood donation..

MYTHS

FACTS

I’m a vegetarian. I don’t have enough blood to donate.

Can donate. A balanced diet is all it takes to restore the volume donated.

Donating blood is a time-consuming task.

On an average the entire process lasts for not more than an hour!

Too much blood is taken from my body.

Only an average of 350 ml is drawn compared to the 5 – 6 liters of blood in your body!

Donating blood weakens my immunity.

The immune system in no way is affected by this.

I am on medications, cannot donate blood.

Not all medications are contraindicated for donation. You can still donate after clarification.

I’m a female : cannot donate blood.

All females fulfilling basic donor eligibility can donate (other than durations of breastfeeding, pregnancy, periods and abortions).

HIV and other infections can be contracted from donation.

Sterility is maintained at all steps, with a new sterile needle being used for every donor.

No one has asked me to donate!

The need for donated blood is always there. Read below to see how you can make a change!

So, the next time you donate remember that you have saved three lives because……

From your one donated blood unit you would have literally provided a bag of red blood cells for an anaemic lady or a trauma patient with massive bleeding who is being operated in your vicinity, one unit of platelet for a patient having dengue and a unit of fresh plasma for a farmer who has had a snake bite wound and has landed in casualty.

Let us work together for a better world, let us not only be aware but also spread the awareness among our near and dear ones about the need of coming forward and finding opportunities for donating blood. As another calendar year 2022 makes its beginning, incorporate this one also in your ‘TO DO’ list of resolutions for the new year. To donate blood and save a life. ‘ LET BLOOD WAIT FOR THE PATIENT AND NOT PATIENT FOR BLOOD’

Composed by: “Dr.Archana Shetty, is currently working as a Blood Transfusion Officer and Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at CDSIMER under the aegis of Dayananda Sagar University. With a teaching and diagnostic experience of over 12 years she is actively involved in blood transfusion services at the hospital.”

Photo from Unsplash

The post It Just Takes Fifteen Minutes To Be A Hero And Save Three Lives …
What’s Stopping Us From Being One? appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

Micro Plastics – An Invisible Danger to Human Health

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 06:08:48 +0000

Plastics – the wonder material is known for its durability, stability, and affordability – has become a major environmental challenge in recent years. This pervasive nature of plastic in the environment has led to its entry into the human body, posing a threat to human health.

Also Read: Say No to Single Plastic Bags

With over 400 million tons of plastic produced globally every year, the plastic still remains a choice for industries such as cosmetics, food packaging, utensils, etc. Much of waste plastic ends up in dump yards and also gets accumulated in water bodies. A number of studies have shown its adverse effects on the marine ecosystem and its presence in the bodies of marine animals such as fishes, mollusks, turtles etc. The plastic reaches bodies of its producers, humans, by consumption of sea food, closing the full circle.

Also Read: Post Antibiotic World

While macro-plastics remain a visible problem, micro-plastics and nano-plastics which are generated through physical, biological and chemical actions on plastic are emerging as a more serious health hazard. Due to their invisible nature, micro- and nano-plastics can enter human bodies through the use of products that contain nano-plastics such as scrubs, lipsticks, mascara, shampoos, etc., other than by consumption of seafood. Recent studies have also found microplastics in tap and bottled water. The workers in the textile and PVC industries also inhale nano-plastics unknowingly.

‘Other than the food chain, constant contact with day-to-day life plastic products allows oral, dermal and inhalation exposure to micro-plastics and additive chemicals to the human body. Therefore, it is important to determine the interactions between the microplastics and biological macromolecules in order to understand their effects on human health,’ explains Prof. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Professor at Vellore Institute of Technology, who is engaged in studying the impact of microplastics in humans.

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According to the industry estimates, an average Indian consumes approximately 11 kg of plastic products in various forms every year. Though it is much less than what an American or a Chinese does, it is still a problem.

Scientists say that plastic particles can reach our stomach, and depending on their size, these plastics are either excreted, get entrapped in the stomach and intestinal lining or move freely in body fluids such as blood, thereby reaching various organs and tissues of the body. In line with this, a study carried out by Austrian scientists had shown that stool from individuals in eight surveyed countries contained microplastics. Similarly, high levels of BPA (Bisphenol A), a chemical used for making several plastics have been found in the urine of teenagers, in another study done by scientists from the University of Exeter, UK.

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While a number of studies have shown negative effects of plastics on the nervous system, hormones, immune systems together with the cancer-inducing property of plastics are already well known, scientists are now trying to understand how the basic machinery of the body interacts with plastic particles. In a new study, Prof. Chandrasekaran and his colleagues have looked at the interaction of nano-plastics with blood proteins and cells illustrating their adverse effects on human health. The group has shown that nano-plastics aggregate in blood, obstructing its flow in the body and render blood proteins nonfunctional.

For this study, blood was taken from five healthy males and then separated into plasma (protein portion of blood), white blood cells and red blood cells. Researchers then tested the interaction between nano-plastics and plasma. It was found that blood proteins such as albumins, globulins, fibrinogens, which play an important role in osmotic pressure, molecular transport, blood coagulation, immune response, etc., are absorbed on the surface of nano-plastics forming plastic-protein complex with size ranging from 13 to 600 nanometers.

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Once plastic particles are fully surrounded by proteins, the plastic-protein complexes are attracted towards each other resulting in aggregation of these complexes. Scientist says that these aggregates in the blood stream can block flow of body fluids. Also, this complex formation leads to structural and conformational changes in the blood proteins rendering them non-functional.

In addition, researchers also tested the interaction of both nano-plastics alone and aggregated plastic-protein complexes with white blood cells and red blood cells. It was found that the aggregated plastic-protein complex is more toxic and potent in causing the death of white and red blood cells than the nano-plastic alone. ‘Next, our research would be focused on how the aggregated micro- and nano-plastic complexes are taken up by cells, their movement within the cell and its related hazards and ailments,’ said Dr. Chandrasekaran.

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The research team included Ponnusamy Manogaran Gopinath, Vinayagam Saranya, Shanmugam Vijayakumar, Mohan Mythili Meera, Sharma Ruprekha, Reshamwala Kunal, Agarwal Pranay, John Thomas and Amitava Mukherjee. The results of the study have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Credits: India Science Wire

The post Micro Plastics – An Invisible Danger to Human Health appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

Super Foods For Your Diet This Winter

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 11:26:05 +0000

With the cold winter months approaching, it is necessary to stimulate our bodies with nutrient-rich foods maintaining a balanced diet. As the winters are a prime time where cough cold and flu are an unfortunate fact of life; food is one of the best ways to combat such illnesses. Super foods help you in strengthening your immune system, increase body energy and enhance your mood as well. Super foods are nothing but a balanced mixture of a variety of foods that provide the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of nutrients:

1. Dates:

Regular intake of dates keep your body warm during winters

Regular intake of dates helps your body to stay warm during winters. It contains a lot of minerals, vitamins and health benefitting phytonutrients and most importantly they are easily digestible. The lower fat content present in dates helps you keep your weight in check. Dietary fiber (6% of daily nutritional value (DNV)) – Dates help move waste smoothly through your colon and help prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol absorption by binding with substances containing cancer-causing chemicals. Iron (1% DNV) – a component of hemoglobin in red blood cells, determines the balance of oxygen in the blood. Potassium (5% DNV) – an electrolyte, helps control your heart rate and blood pressure. B-vitamins contained in dates, such as the carotenes lutein and zeaxanthin, absorb into the retina to maintain optimal light-filtering functions and protect against macular degeneration. Vitamin A (1% DNV) – protects the eyes, maintains healthy skin and mucous membranes, and even protects the lungs and mouth from developing cancer. Tannins, which are flavonoids as well as polyphenolic antioxidants, fight infection and inflammation and help, prevent excessive bleeding (anti-hemorrhagic). Vitamin K is a blood coagulant that also helps metabolize your bones. Copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin are also present in dates and provide their own unique preventive and healing functions. Together, these cofactors help your body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Eating dates in moderation can contribute to many health benefits, such as protecting against damage to cells from free radicals, help to prevent a stroke, coronary heart disease and the development of colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

Also Read: Food for thought

2. Cacao

Cacao best natural sources of antioxidants, iron, magnesium and zinc

Cacao is one of the best natural sources of antioxidants, iron, magnesium and zinc. Zinc is an important trace mineral important for better immune function. Anandamide which can naturally boost your mood & create a sense of elation; it can also boost serotonin levels in the brain which is another feel-good chemical, these chemicals can then boost brain calming hormones that can relax us if we are feeling stressed & restore feelings of well-being. Flavanols that boast anti-inflammatory health benefits as well as complex antioxidants also known as polyphenols. Flavanols & polyphenols can protect against cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk of stroke, improve blood circulation, reduce “bad” cholesterol & prevent hardening of arteries. Polyphenols antioxidants can also protect our cells from premature oxidation or destruction & help us look & feel younger for longer.

Also Read: Indian Hemp: Neglected Pharmacological Treasure Trove

3. Ginger

Ginger is a powerhouse root veggie that’s packed with medicinal qualities

Raw ginger root is used both in cooking and in herbal medicine. Ginger is a powerhouse root veggie that’s packed with medicinal qualities such as antimicrobial properties and anti-nausea benefits. Additionally, a chemical in ginger called Gingerol helps decrease inflammation and blocks nerve pathways that process pain. Consuming ginger may help limit nausea and motion sickness and may help treat arthritis by decreasing inflammation. It also contains small amounts of fiber, essential vitamins and minerals, but due to the small amount usually consumed in any given meal, it is unlikely to greatly affect your nutrient intake. Macro nutrients – one-fourth cup of ginger contains 19 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 0.4 grams of protein and 4.3 grams of carbohydrate, including 0.5 grams of fiber. Higher consumption may cause heartburn,stomach upset and diarrhea and may interfere with certain medications, including blood thinners, diabetes medication and blood pressure medications. Vitamins – eating 1/4-cup of raw ginger would provide you with 2% of the daily value for both vitamin B-6 and vitamin C, as well as smaller amounts of niacin, riboflavin, folate, thiamine and vitamin E. Vitamin B-6 is necessary for metabolism, immune function and red blood cell function, and vitamin C is important for healing wounds and for limiting damage to your cells from free radicals. Minerals – while one-fourth cup of raw ginger only provides very small amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus and zinc; it contains 3% of the DV for magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is used for metabolism, forming proteins and muscle and nerve function, and potassium helps lower blood pressure levels and maintain proper heart and digestive function.

Also Read: Study: Increasing Protein and Dairy Intake Reduce Burden of Diabetes

4. Spinach

Low in calories rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids

Spinach’s nutritional value indicates that it is extremely nutrient dense. It is low in calories yet rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. Spinach is also loaded with flavonoids which act as antioxidants and can protect the body from free radicals which is an essential health benefit all year round, but especially during winter when we are more likely to catch cold or flu. The iron rich food can also improve energy levels as iron is an important component of haemoglobin which transports oxygen to the body cells.

Also Read: Can Millets Be the Answer to India’s Nutritional Problems?

5. Carrot

This crunchy veggie carries vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, and potassium, all of which are important for fighting off germs during cold and flu season

This root vegetable contains high amounts of beta carotene which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is a key nutrient in the immune function, helping to protect against infection and reduce the risk and duration of respiratory illness by keeping our lungs healthy. It is an excellent food to protect the skin from ageing. Carrots also contain loads of vitamin A for healthy eyes, on top of fiber for good digestion. Plus, this crunchy veggie carries vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, and potassium, all of which are important for fighting off germs during cold and flu season.

Also Read: Healthy Lives: Everyone, Everywhere

6. Pomegranate

Pomegranate may have heart health benefits by improving your cholesterol profile and protecting LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation

Pomegranates are rich in vitamin C and contain folate, vitamin K and potassium. There is some research to suggest that pomegranate may have to heart health benefits by improving your cholesterol profile and protecting LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation.

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7. Cinnamon

Ground cinnamon is a good source of calcium and iron

Ground cinnamon is a good source of calcium and iron, which are required for good immunity and maintaining healthy red blood cell production. Research suggests this spice may also help to lower blood sugar levels.

Also Read: Regular consumption of fruits cuts death risk

About the author

Nidhi Dhawan is a dietitian with experience of 21 years in the field. Ms. Dhawan practices at Diet Zone, Delhi. With BSc in Home Science from Lady Irwin college, DDPHN from IHE, Delhi and Diploma in Preventive & Promotive Healthcare from Apollo Hospitals, she is a lifetime member of Indian Dietetic Association. Her expertise is therapeutic diets like chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, polycystic ovary disorder, diabetes type 1 and 2, chronic liver disease, jaundice, weight management, kids and infants nutrition etc.

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